Delivering occupational therapy services in mental health
Presenter(s)
Theresa Straathof
This one-day practical skills workshop will focus on providing a structure for occupational therapy assessment and interventions and clarifying outcomes for mental health discharge. The workshop will provide an overview of entry points for occupational therapists to assess mental health function and needs such as behaviour activation, assessing/improving function, coping strategy training, and promoting four mental health outcomes to decrease relapse and readmission. At each of these entry points, case studies will illustrate the content and process to deliver interventions. The benefits of task sessions, functional assessments, and standardized assessments will be overviewed to provide a cognitive functional profile for the client and team. Coping strategies will be organized in four coping categories, with a summary of what each category brings to managing the stress response, participating in valued occupations, and promoting function. Kolb's Adult Learning Model (Kolb, 2014) will be described and illustrated as a tool to teach coping strategy content. Four coping modules will be reviewed specifically to target outcomes for successful transition to the community. These modules will address healthy and meaningful routines, medication adherence, suicide safety, and communication tools to connect with personal and professional supports. Small group discussions and practice opportunities in breakout rooms will be utilized to support occupational therapists in gaining efficiencies in clinical reasoning and decision making, collaborating with clients, and delivering interventions in mental health. By the end of this workshop, occupational therapists will have the tools and language to advocate and illustrate their role with clients experiencing mental health challenges.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES | By the end of this workshop, you will be able to: 1. Structure mental health interventions based on four levels of needs (behaviour activation, assessing function, coping strategy training, prevention of relapse/readmission). 2. Identify six techniques to activate clients. 3. Name one formal and one informal assessment to aid in determining functional cognitive profiles related to various occupations. 4. Define benefits for four coping categories and name corresponding coping strategies. 5. Justify four coping modules to prevent relapse of illness. 6. Demonstrate Kolb's Adult Learning Model (Kolb, 2014).
Theresa Straathof, OT Reg. (Ont.), has worked 32 years as a clinical occupational therapist in acute mental health. She completed her Diploma in Adult Education through St. Francis Xavier University, where she received the Lynn Irlam "Make a Difference Award" for her development of coping strategies modules. She has written two manuals to facilitate teaching a variety of coping strategy content using Kolb's Adult Learning Cycle (Kolb, 2014). She has presented nationally, internationally and is a guest lecturer with three Canadian universities on topics related to behaviour activation, coping strategy training, adult learning, and suicide prevention. She is a member of the CAOT network: Addressing Suicide in Occupational Therapy Practice.